This Supereasy Hack Will Keep You From Wasting All Those Kitchen Scraps

A tell-tale sign of savvy cooks who truly know their way around a kitchen? Making something tasty out of the scraps that were originally headed for the garbage can. And while we're certainly not trying out to be on Chopped anytime soon, being able to make soup stock from veggies you already have sitting in your freezer is a supereasy way to put scraps to good use. And who are we kidding? When you have a bunch of kiddos running around, every penny counts. So save the few bucks by making your own stock using this quick hack. Oh, and added an bonus, it's way better than the store-bought variety. Think much less sodium and a much deeper flavor in terms of richness. Talk about yum!

  1. Get your hands on a package of big freezer-safe Ziploc bags. Use a Sharpie to date the front and pop it in the freezer. The veggies should last for about six months or so when frozen.
  2. Start adding all your cooking scraps to the bag. Whether you're making dinner for the family or cooking up something for your kiddo's basketball potluck, make sure any leftover scraps make it into the damn bag. After all, the quicker you're able to fill it up, the closer you are to making your homemade stock! And you don't have to be super choosy. I throw everything from discarded celery and carrot ends to potato skins and zucchini stubs in there.
  3. Once your bag is nice and full, it's time to get cooking. Grab a soup pot and dump all your scraps into it with a few chopped up cloves of fresh garlic and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Then fill the pot up about 2/3 of the way with water (you should notice the skins start to float) and bring it to a boil.
  4. Let the pot simmer for around 40 minutes after it comes to a boil. I like to check my stock about every 10 minutes or so and give it a nice stir. It also doesn't hurt to add more salt and pepper throughout the cooking process. Season as you go, as they say. And don't forget to set a timer if you're forgetful!
  5. Strain the stock and pop it in your refrigerator for up to five days. Not planning on using it ASAP? Throw it in the freezer for up to six months.

See! It's that easy!